Improvement in dental polishing and cutting tapes



E'. .T STARR. Dental Polishing and Cutting Tape.

No. 217,300. Patented vmy s, 1819.

NFEYERS. PHOTDJJTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C UNTTED STATE-s PATENT Oirron.

ELI T. STARR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL S. WHITE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DENTAL POLISHING AND CUTTING TAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,300.. dated July 8, 1879; application filed May 27, 1879.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that LELI T. STARR, of the city and county'7 of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Polishing and Cutting Tapes for Dentists Use, of Vwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of dental polishing, cutting, or abrading tools in which the working-surface consists of grit or crystals forced or pressed into a carrying body or material.

The object of my present invention is to provide a iiexible cutting and polishing tape with a workingsurface of the above-described character, and give it the capacity of being readily passed or inserted between adjacent teeth to separate them or polish fillings therein, the

,tape being thin, very iiexi'ble, durable, and

cheap.

The subject-matter claimed will hereinafter specifically be designated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of my improved tape 4as twisted, showing one of its sides as abrading and the other as non-abrading or smooth 5 and Fi g. 2, a view thereof, one of the ends being curved or bent over to show both sides as provided with abrading material.

The tape is composed of a thin carrying body or strip, A,preferably of celluloid-a ma# terial well known in the arts-into one or both of the sides or surfaces of which the cutting, grinding, or abrading grit, crystals, or material is forced or pressed in welLknown ways.

The tape is preferably constructed with one abrading side only, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the tape will have one safe 7 side, somewhat like a safe-sided77 file.

The strip is preferably quite thin, four or more inches in length, and of the requisite width, and has one or both of its ends pointed or tapered, as at a, so as to give the tape the capacity of being readily and easily inserted or abrading material forced orrolled into its l surface.

The manner in which my improved pointed polishing-tape is to b e used and its advailtages will be obvious to dentists and others familiar with dental tools, and therefore need not be elaborated.

I am aware that a dental cutting and polishing instrument consisting of a thin bluntend metallic strip or ribbon having diamond grit or crystals rolled into its surface has heretofore been suggested; but that obviously differs from my improvement, and does not possess the advantages of my tape.

,I am also aware that linen tapes with corundum secured thereto by glue and strips of sand-paper have heretofore been used; but in all these the abrading material is easily worn off and the glue is oifensive when wet.

I claim as my invention- `1. The flexible cutting and polishing tape constructed as described, with the abrading material forced into its surface, and with the pointed or tapering end or ends.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the ilexible polishing-tape consisting of a strip of celluloid having a pointed or tapering end with abrading material forced into its workin gsur face.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ELI T. STARR.

Witnesses:

J oHN A. MARsHALL, WM. METTENHETMER. 

